The video game market is a bit unusual when you really consider it. A small core of consumers has the loudest voice, the same people who would read a column like this, while a gigantic market of casual players ensures that industry profits continue to grow each year.
The core group demands original efforts and fresh takes on beloved franchises while the mass of casual consumers prefers the known, sequels to games they already own with familiar concepts. Because of this publishers are faced with a difficult decision about which way to go with a new project. Should they push the boundaries and garner critical praise from the core gamer, or is it better to churn out another sequel to a workhorse series that has sustained the company's bottom line for years? Every entertainment sector relies on a mix of new and old to survive; maintaining that healthy balance is the key to growth.
In recent years gamers have been concerned about "sequelitis" afflicting their hobby, but a new wave has come that may change the way publishers view the topic entirely.
It's important in life to maintain a broad palette when it comes to culture and the arts. Hideo Kojima agrees, as he continues to use video games like Death Stranding to introduce people to music and other elements they might not otherwise discover.
Mojang has partnered with Merlin Entertainments to build the world's first Minecraft theme park in the UK.
A three-episode live-action adaptation of the first two Yakuza video games will debut Tuesday, March 17 exclusively IGN. Each episode is about an hour long and will stream on IGN.com and IGN’s YouTube channel.
So what is the Nex best thing?!?
GTA 4 is!